


Exceptions to the Rules

by EspirituDelMar



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempt at Humor, Gen, Jack Sparrow is sneaky, Pre-Slash, Sparrington pre-slash, The Commodore is slightly confused with Jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-24 20:10:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13818543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EspirituDelMar/pseuds/EspirituDelMar
Summary: A Sparrinton pre-slash fic. In which James Norrington in the events of CotBP comes to the conclusion that Jack Sparrow is a good man and, adding a debt to said pirate's father, he decides to aid William when he rescues the pirate from hanging. Jack Sparrow notices and is confused, so some time later, he visits the Commodore to ask why. Just two shot I found gathering dust on my PC.





	1. Chapter 1

James's POV

Contrary to what Turner may believe, I am not a fool. I had seen that glint on the young man's eyes when he knew about Sparrow's hanging date, and I had to be either blind or a total idiot to not understand what he was going to try. And let me assure you, I am neither.

This knowledge caused me to have an argument with myself that night. On the one hand, Jack Sparrow was a pirate, and guilty of all charges. He was a scoundrel, a blackguard, a scallywag, a...pirate. And did I mention he was _a bloody pirate?_ He deserved the punishment, for God's sake!

But on the other hand...well, this was hard for me to admit, but I  _had_ decided to be completely honest with myself this night. I had developed somewhat of a...liking to the pirate. On the trip back to Port Royal after capturing the pirate, I had gone once to talk with him at the brig. My intention was to make him give me information about other pirates, but one thing led to another and we ended up in a heated debate about law, morals, right, wrong, and freedom. It wasn't until I had returned to my quarters that I realized that it had been the first time in...well, forever that I had been so relaxed. And that happened after being with a  _pirate_. And no conventional pirate, but Jack Sparrow, the man who has turned into my personal headache in the little time I've known him.

All that, along with some questions to Miss Swann and young Mr. Turner answered honestly, made me realize something that may take my view of the world and turn it upside down.

That Jack Sparrow, pirate captain, could  _possibly_ be a... good man.

And that realization was the culprit of said argument with myself. An argument that, if it ended in a certain way, not only may possibly change my beliefs but will  _definitely_  do it. Because if I ended up deciding to surreptitiously aid William Turner on his plan to rescue the pirate, that meant I, a Commodore of His Majesty's Royal Navy, admitted hanging Sparrow was wrong, that a pirate could be a good man, something I had never thought about.

No, wait, that was a lie. I, like Miss Swann, had also idolized pirates when I was younger, after one of them saved my life when I was seven. After that, I had thought pirates could be good men, and that being a pirate could be fun. But that opinion vanished the second I saw a massacre made by pirates in an innocent town. Women and little girls raped before being killed, babies' blood everywhere...no one survived nor died without pain. It was then when I realized how naive I had been, and decided that pirates were nothing but monsters, vile creatures who deserved nothing but a short drop and a sudden stop.

'Strange I would remember this now' I mused, sitting on the bed (I was slightly tired of pacing in front of the window for...I looked at the clock and was surprised to see I'd been doing it for nearly an hour) 'But now that I think about it, I had forgotten everything about the pirate who saved me...until now, that is'

Strangely, when I tried to think about that pirate, my mind would inevitably conjure an image of Jack Sparrow. Were they connected? But how?

Wait a moment. Sparrow?

Frowning, I tried to concentrate on the pirate's name. What was it? Tack...Teack...Tigh...Teagh...Teague! Captain Teague Sparrow, that was the name! How could I have forgot—

Realization hit me, and my eyes widened. Oh. Bloody.  _Hell._

So that was it. That was the reason I felt that vague sense of recognition when I laid eyes on Sparrow for the first time at the docks. He really looked a lot like him, so he must be a relative, and considering their ages, he must be his...father.

Yes, father. James Norrington had been rescued by Captain Jack Sparrow's father when he was a kid...meaning that he owed his life to him. And seeing that  _I_ was James Norrington, it meant  _I_  owed my life to a pirate. And seeing that the man had disappeared long ago, there was only a way to repay my debt.

...well, this made my decision easier and more difficult at the same time. Because that realization was the final drop to make my moral balance incline into one conclusion.

I will aid bloody Will Turner as much as I could into rescuing the damn pirate...Captain Jack Sparrow.

And consequences be damned.

* * *

 

On the execution day, I did my best to appear cool and collected, a thing that I wasn't feeling in the least.

'This will go well. It  _has_ to' I told myself, trying to relax.

Surrounding the place were soldiers handpicked by me for the occasion, soldiers who had been with me on the  _Dauntless_ that night when we were fighting undead pirates...along with some soldiers I had to admit that weren't very bright, like Murtogg and Mullroy.

Now I only had to trust the young man to stop the hanging.

And there he came, I thought with satisfaction. I was not surprised to hear William confess his love to Elizabeth. Again, I had to be blind or a complete idiot not to notice the obvious love between the two.

The realization had hit me the moment Elizabeth asked me to rescue Will 'as a wedding gift'. At that moment, I saw the pain and determination in her lovely brown eyes, as well as something that someone as sharp as me should've noticed since the very beginning.

Elizabeth did not love me, and never would. But she was willing to marry me, to sacrifice her happiness, to save the one she truly loved. I couldn't, in all honesty, marry her after that. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I did, knowing I was making the woman I loved unhappy.

So I decided to play the honorable fool and hide my pain when I ordered my men to turn around and chase the pirates.

'And here comes the commotion' I thought, seeing young William wrestling his way towards the platform while I pretended to be busy worrying about Elizabeth's 'sudden' fainting.

But when I glanced towards the scene, my heart nearly stopped. The hangman was about to open the trap and make Sparrow dangle, and William's sword had missed its aim of cutting the rope.

Things were about to  _not_ go well, and I had to avoid it.

So I acted.

Taking advantage of all the confusion, I jumped from where I was into the middle of the mess, knowing that anyone who saw me would assume that I was trying to stop him from freeing the pirate, and ran to where William was, grasping his arm in an apparently restricting move and whispering urgently:

"Fight me, kick me, take my sword and use it"

He stared at me for a second but did as I had told him: he pulled his arm from my grip, gave me a (rather painfully) kick on the shin, took my sword and threw it just when the hangman opened the trap. The sword lodged itself on the wood under Sparrow's feet, just in time for the pirate to stand on it and avoid being chocked.

I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, thank full for not having the death of a good man upon my conscience. I then looked around while the rest of the fight unfurled to see if anyone had seen my actions.

They were all fortunately too occupied being distracted by the commotion or making people leave to have noticed, thank God.

'Well, maybe my career isn't over yet' I thought with a touch of irony and a rueful smile.

Picking a sword from one of the soldiers, I went to play my part and threaten William Turner for aiding a pirate.

The irony here was too much to not let a small chuckle escape my lips.

"You forget your place, Mr. Turner," I told him, my voice cold and hard.

"It's right here, between you and Jack" He defiantly answered, his eyes hard but with a hint of confusion on them.

I ignored it, trying to think about how to proceed when something I wasn't expecting happened.

"As well as mine" Eliza- Miss Swann said, standing beside Will.

I was expecting the rejection, as I had explained before, but I had never expected her to add the embarrassment of doing so in public to the pain it inevitably caused.

"Is here where your heart truly lays?" I couldn't help but ask to make sure.

"It is"

I sighed. Of course it was. I was such a fool...

I saw Captain Sparrow (when had I started to think of him as  _Captain_ I wonder?) looking at me with pity in his dark eyes and ignored it. I certainly didn't need his pity.

The man then proceeded to approach us. First the governor, and then myself.

"I want you to know, I was rooting for you mate," He told me in all seriousness, poking me in the chest "Know that"

His eyes then sent me a questioning glance, and after a second of confusion, I was dismayed to realize that he had noticed my part in his rescue. His eyes continued to ask me 'why' and, after a conscious effort to harden my features and eyes, I shook my head minutely, trying to convey 'do not question it'. I saw confusion swim in his eyes, turning to gratefulness for a second and finally to determination, before returning to their usual playful and mischievous appearance.

"Be sure I'll come to visit you sometime, mate" He whispered to me, so low that I barely caught it. I blinked, surprised, but couldn't ask anything as he was already giving his peculiar farewells to Mr. Turner and Ms. Swann, then said his usual parting phrase...

And fell from the fort.

I would've laughed at how ridiculous and fitting it was for the pirate if it wasn't for the fact that there were sharp rocks on the bottom. I quickly ran to the wall and was relieved to see that he had miraculously missed the rocks.

That bloody man was lucky indeed.

After pardoning Will and hearing the Governor's words that somehow absolved me and justified my decision to give the  _Black Pearl_ a day's headstart, I went to my office to write my report, which was going to be a... challenging exercise in composition. And Jack Sparrow's escape from my clutches once again, along with the loss of the Interceptor, was going to give me a big amount of trouble from the Admiralty.

Still... I felt it was all worth it. Wich was absolutely mad, to consider placing my career at risk for a pirate worth it, and I couldn't help but wonder if the Caribbean's sun had finally driven me mad like Sparrow.

That had to be it. If not, why would I feel that I would've done the same again were the situation to repeat itself?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if my attempt to write pirate speech sucks :p  
> Also, any mistakes you find, English is not my first language

No one's POV

It had been six months since Captain Jack Sparrow fell — er, I mean,  _jumped_ from the fort, and the incident was nearly gone from everybody's mind, as it had been substituted by the scandal of the Governor's daughter marrying a lowly blacksmith instead of the good Commodore.

"Well, at least now he's free" Several mothers of young women, widows...(in short: every unmarried woman under thirty in Port Royal), giggled, their eyes twinkling maliciously while eyeing the Commodore.

Said Commodore was honestly fed up with the situation. He felt like a prey to all the bloodthirsty (well,  _husbandthirsty)_ women, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling in the least. Especially since Elizabeth's way to redeem herself from hurting him was to introduce him to them. She even got her father to hold a little party, and James ended up playing the social game of declining their advances as politely as he could while remaining cordial and dancing with them.

'I'm starting to think that undead pirates were easier to deal with' He tiredly thought once he finally managed to escape the party and get home.

He reached his room and after opening his window (curse the Caribbean heat), he began to remove his wig and coat, left his sword and pistol on his desk, then sat tiredly on the bed and let out a sigh. He was tired, and wanted nothing more than to get to bed and sleep... but unfortunately, he needed to go over some paperwork he'd brought home, as it needed to be ready by tomorrow morning. His new rank involved a huge deal of desk work, more than actual sailing (and he was in the Navy, wasn't that ironic?).

"Still, responsibilities are responsibilities" He muttered to himself, standing up and sitting down on the wooden chair in front of the desk where he had left his weapons "And they're part of my duty as a Commodore".

And so, he began.

He worked about an hour without pause until he heard a noise outside. He ignored it, at first, being centered on his work, but then the noise repeated itself just outside his window, and he had to pause. Frowning, he started to move towards the window but stopped in shock as someone climbed off the window and stepped into the room with a grin.

"Sparrow" He growled, shaking himself out of his shock. He must've climbed the trellis that climbed the wall under his window. He made a movement to take his sword, but the pirate was even quicker.

"Touch it an' I'll blow a hole on your face," Jack said, aiming his pistol at him and still grinning "An' t'would be a pity to do so mate, I tell you. Waste of a pretty face. Now, move towards the bed if you would be so kind. There's a good man".

James gritted his teeth as he did what the pirate said.

"Why are you here Sparrow?" He asked, consciously leaving out the title the pirate was so fond of.

"Captain Sparrow" The man corrected him, then added in an amused voice "An' I didn't know you had such a poor memory Commodore"

James frowned, confused for a second, then remembered.

_Be sure I'll come to visit you sometime, mate._

James sighed and sat down on the bed, completely ignoring the pistol. He had eventually realized what that sentence meant...but he hadn't expected the man to sneak into Port Royal and in his own bedroom, risking his life, just for that.

Sparrow was either a fool, a daredevil...

"I see you remember" Continued the pirate "I've been waitin' fer the opportune moment, as it were, to have a lit'le talk wi' you, Commodore"

"And you saw fit to risk your life just to talk to me?" Norrington asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Well, I had a hunch that this wouldn't be the night Captain Jack Sparrow kicked the bucket if you understand me" He shrugged.

...or knew that his enemy had no desire to kill him.

"Now Commodore, about that day" Jack started, looking intensely at him "I've always known you'd warm up to me, but I never expected you t'fall for my charms so quickly...even savin' me life. Now that makes a pirate wonder, it does."

Norrington didn't even bother to pretend he didn't know what the pirate was talking about.

"Stop beating around the bush and state what you want Sparrow" He demanded in a stern voice.

"Jus' an' explanation mate. I think I deserve t'know why I owe my life to a bloody Commodore of His Majesty's Royal Navy"

Oh, so that was it. James understood what Sparrow was feeling perfectly, for he had gone through the same thing these past months.

Once he had remembered that Jack Sparrow's father had saved his life, he had been asking himself one question, a question he never bothered to ask when he was young: why? Why had Teague Sparrow saved him, the son of a commanding admiral? He was a pirate. He  _was_ supposed to not care whether he lived or not.

This had caused him to feel...unnerved along with grateful, of course. Grateful for still being alive, obviously, and unnerved because he just couldn't fathom why he would do it, what was his motive.

In short, he failed to understand why, using Sparrow's wording, 'he owed his life to a bloody Pirate Lord'.

Still...

"I don't think I have to explain myself to you, Sparrow," He said icily "You should just take it without questions" He'll be damned if he was going to give him explanations. He had already fulfilled his debt; he owed nothing more to him or his father.

"Aw, c'mmon mate, t'is cruel to leave a man who had been wonderin' the why fer six months like that," He said in a whiny voice. He then did something that made Norrington stare.

He pouted. He, a grown man, actually  _pouted,_ and rather childishly too. Norrington couldn't help but snort at that, his eyes glinting with momentary amusement along with letting a small, slightly amused smile show, before schooling his features back to their stern expression.

But it was too late, as Jack saw it. Saw that smile, saw the softening of his face and the curve of his lips in a small smile, saw the amused glint those sea-green eyes. That along with being wigless made the Commodore appear at least ten years younger, and very,  _very_ handsome. Not that he didn't look good in all his naval finery, as he had appreciated for a few seconds that day on the docks, with a sword at his neck. The man had been a sight for sore eyes, of that he was sure, but now, on that short moment, he had been  _gorgeous._ It made a man wonder how he would look smiling honestly or laughing. How he would be when he relaxed, or when he cumm-

'Naughty thoughts, naughty thoughts' Jack chided, pushing them aside 'Now's not the moment to think 'bout that'.

Still, it was a fact that the man was attractive. And interesting, he had to admit, as he still remembered that little talk they had. Jack had been on the brig when he received a visit from the Commodore. It was clear that he wanted information, and Jack would be damned if he helped the bloody Navy, so he had slowly made the conversation take another course, and ended up having a heated but interesting debate. And Jack had to admit he had enjoyed the mental battle. Thinking new arguments and countering Norrington's ones had been a welcomed mental exercise after so much time without having anyone worthy to debate with, because his crew wasn't exactly full of people with whom he could do it, and least of all worthy rivals.

It was rather ironic that he had found his match on a Navy man who wanted to hang him.

Or not, he amended. After all, he ended saving his neck from being stretched, a thing that Jack couldn't believe even now. He had counted himself dead the moment he saw Will's sword miss the rope while the hangman went to open the trap. But then, the man he never expected to act, let William beat him, take his sword and use it to save him, a pirate. True, it had been a discreet gesture, and Jack had to blink and use the time he had used to talk to the Governor to replay the moment and really notice the intention of his actions, the falseness and acting of his movements, to realize the truth.

Commodore Norrington, the man he thought wanted to kill him, had saved his life.

Funny ole world indeed.

But now the bloody man wasn't cooperating and telling him exactly why. Why had he risked his career (and his life he suspected) in aiding him, a pirate?

"So, will you answer?" He asked, getting out of his thoughts.

Norrington stayed silent. He didn't owe him anything, he knew that, and certainly not an explanation, but, he was starting to reconsider that. Apparently the man knew nothing about his debt to his father, so of course he wanted explanations. He would demand them too if the positions were reversed.

It struck him how similar were their situations, both been saved by someone they considered an 'enemy' and wondering the why.

"There were many things that influenced my decision" He finally said, sighing "Mr. Turner and Ms. Swann's protests and claims that you were a 'good man'. The fact that I would hurt her deeply if I killed you" He didn't need to specify who "What I had observed and learnt about you. That conversation when we were heading back to Port Royal" He grudgingly admitted, making Jack grin, glad to know he hadn't been the only one "My own opinion about you after that thing with the undead pirates finished, because you  _did_ save my crew's life, even if it hadn't been intentional..."

Jack was being surprised by the Commodore's answer. So it seemed that his opinion of him changed, to the better and to the point that his morals questioned if it was right to hang him.

"So it's not only love" He thoughtlessly said.

"...And a d- wait, what?" James asked, frowning in confusion at the pirate's words. What did love have to do with any of this?

"Nothin', mate, just somethin' I thought some time ago" Jack answered with a shrug. James eyed him with a mix of curiosity and wariness, but decided that trying to guess what Jack Sparrow was thinking was a step towards madness, and finished what he was saying "And a debt"

"A debt?" Jack asked, surprised "T'me?"

"To your father" James answered, "He saved me from drowning when I was seven."

"Dad did that?" Jack honestly couldn't picture old Teague Sparrow saving a Navy man's life "Why?"

"That's what both me and my father would love to know" James sighed, then looked at Jack, eyes hard as jade "Now that your question is answered, you have five minutes before I'm taking my men and chasing you, Sparrow."

"Ye really think I'd let you go, Commodore?"

"And what would you do with me, keep me here?" James asked, lifting an eyebrow "My house is surrounded by guards, Sparrow, and while one person can avoid them, I doubt the two of us could do it, especially if I play the unwilling hostage, which I will."

"I could always shoot you" Jack pointed out "Now that I know I 'ave no debt o' honor with you"

"You are still the worst pirate I've ever met, Sparrow, especially now that I know the reason you were marked as one. You never shoot anyone in cold blood, and are as decent as a pirate can be" Jack rose an eyebrow in questioning and James shrugged "I've investigated a little about you and your family in this six months trying to understand you" He smiled ruefully at him "I noticed the task was incredibly difficult, particularly because tales about you are a firm mix of fantasy and reality."

"An' who says it's fantasy?" Jack asked, grinning.

"No sane person would believe you escaped an island riding sea turtles, Sparrow" James deadpanned "And your time is ending, so I suggest you go now before I go look for my men in about..." He glanced at the clock "Three minutes"

"Fine, fine, I know when my presence is not welcomed"

"Which is everywhere and always"

"That really hurt my little black heart, Commodore, it did. I can be really charmin' when I want to" Jack protested, leering at him.

"Right now you'd be incredibly charming if you disappeared" James pointed out, refusing to blush under the pirate's gaze.

"I find tha' gentlemanly attitude o' yers lacking, Norrington"

" _Go"_

"Goin', goin' " Jack sighed, walking towards the window. He then paused and turned around, looking into James's eyes "Y'know what Commodore?"

James swallowed, throat suddenly dry at that dark, intense gaze "What?"

"Yer a very interesting man," Jack said thoughtfully, "I think you'll be seeing more of little ol' me in the future" He grinned "So I'll be seein' ye, Commodore!" And, before James could utter a single word, the pirate jumped. James rushed to look out of the window, but it was as if the damn man had disappeared into the air like a ghost.

He then leaned against the wall, recalling the pirate's parting words.

"I should've shot the damn man when I had the opportunity" He muttered to himself "What the hell did I get my self into?" He shook his head, sighing.

He had a really bad feeling about this.


End file.
